The player most likely to make things happen for the Cicero-North Syracuse boys soccer team struck again on Tuesday night.
Dante Melfi scored with 5:45 left in the first sudden-victory overtime to carry C-NS to a 1-0 win over West Genesee in the Section III Class AA boys soccer title game at Phoenix.
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Melfi's 15-yard chip shot from directly out front eluded Wildcats goalie Anthony Augello to his left. The goal was Melfi's 10th of the season, a total that paces C-NS.
"I can't even explain how happy I am," said Melfi, a sophomore. "We were pretty nervous. We had a really hard game against F-M (in the semis). We were a little slack in the first and second halves. But we came out with the win so that's all that really matters."
No. 4 C-NS (12-4-3) advances to take on the Section II champ in the first round of the states, time and place to be determined. This is the Northstars first Section III boys soccer title since 2015.
No. 6 West Genesee finishes 10-6-3.
Hunter Lawless set up the winning goal with a pass to Melfi from the right side. Melfi had his back turned to the goalie, but he quickly pivoted to let loose a high shot for the winner.
"I just shot it. I saw it hit the back of the net and I was so happy," Melfi said.
"He's a good athlete, No. 1," Northstars coach Mike McCaffrey said of Melfi. "He's got some long strides. The kid can run. And he's got a nose for scoring goals. We've been coaching him and watching him grow up. He's scored a lot of goals as a young player. He can put the ball away. I just think that at this level, for him this year, it's taken him a while to maybe finish against some of the stronger teams."
The Northstars defense posted its fifth-straight shutout. That includes a 2-0 win over West Genesee in the last regular-season game on Oct. 15.
"(Goalie) Wyatt Dupell is one of the reasons," McCaffrey said of his team's stinginess. "Our defense really solidified. I think that they're collectively playing together. And when you've got a guy in the back that can keep it out of the back of the net, Dupell is probably the big difference."
The best scoring chance in regulation came with 32 minutes left in the second half.
West Genesee's Anthony Pontello had a short one-on-one run against Dupell, but Dupell reacted quickly to come out and smother the attempt.
"I thought the first half we had the better of the play for about 15 minutes. We were getting in, we were getting some corner kicks, and developed some chances," McCaffrey said. "And then the second half I thought West Genesee outplayed us. We just kind of hung on to get through the second half and get to the overtime. Overtime, somebody gets loose and puts one away and your season's over or you continue."
Thanks to the talents of Melfi, C-NS now falls into the latter category. The team's 3-3-3 start has been left behind by a 9-1 finish. That includes a 1-0 win over No. 1 seed F-M in the semis.
"It's good to win this. It's been a tough road," McCaffrey said. "These guys have really committed to the fitness. We became a team. We've talked to the guys about getting into state competition. Once you get into regional play against Section II, the Albany teams are very good. But we get to get a few more practices in, and extend our season so we're pleased."
